Protective Hand
by JupiterGodess
Summary: Sasha is troubled by a nightmare and seeks help from her most loyal Gold Saint. SisyphusxSasha, friendship. Includes a little part about Albafica.


The hand was big and warm.

Sasha – no, Athena – held to this hand as she followed the big man through the streets of her hometown. She tried to glance around, for it may very well be the last time she would see the place she grew up. The place, where her two best friends would continue living.

Would she see them again?

She clenched her hand. The only thing she could hold on to was this strong hand, guiding her towards Sanctuary. She looked up to the man this hand belonged to.

Sisyphus.

Gold Saint of Sagittarius.

What a shock had it been when this stranger had approached her, Tenma and Alone and knelt down before her, revealing her true identity.

Athena. Goddess of war and wisdom.

„Come with me", he had pleaded. „We need your guidance in this Holy War."

Sasha had seen in those beautiful, deep blue eyes that every word Sisyphus had spoken to her was true. She just could TELL that. It was a feeling deep inside her, telling her to believe this man. A feeling she had never felt before. Sasha had remembered how Tenma had a few times spoken of some cosmos he felt deep inside him. Was this the same feeling?

Again she clenched her hand. Sisyphus was the one taking her away from her home and everything dear to her. But, he had promised to protect her no matter what. The feeling inside her told her he meant every single word of that. She was gonna trust him. With him, she would be safe.

Suddenly, she felt her hand slip out of his. Something kept her back, preventing her from running after the Gold Saint. With rising panic she watched as he went farther and farther away. And then… flames. With horror she saw the Saint, HER Saint, being engulfed by fire.

„Sisyphus!"

His traveling robes disappeared, and he was covered by his Gold Cloth. The wings spread out wide. Sasha could hear him scream in pain. Suddenly the scream stopped. The girl watched helplessly and disbelievingly, as the beautiful winged armor turned… black.

Pitch black.

The once golden armor now shimmered like a black jewel, beautiful yet deadly.

„Sisyphus…"

Tears rose to her eyes. No way. He had promised to protect her no matter what. But the warmth he emanated had turned into icy cold. He stood there, covered in the dark armor, a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. They stared at each other for one moment. Then, slowly, Sisyphus put the arrow on the bow.

If it was even possible, Sasha's horror and disbelieve even grew, as she watched with terrible slowness how he rose his bow, the arrow pointing –

directly at her.

„No…", she wimmered. „No… this is impossible. You… you promised me you'd… protect me Sisyphus… why are you pointing this arrow… at me? SISYPHUS!"

The scream still echoed in her had when Sasha jolted upright. It took her a moment to stop her panting and to realise where she really was. With relief she recognised the features of her room in her temple. She was in Sanctuary. It was all but a bad dream. A sigh of relief escaped Sasha's lips.

But sleep was all gone. She stood up from her stony bed – which was surprisingly comfortable, considering what it was made of – and stepped to the window. The night was clear, and a bright full moon drenched the landscape with silvery light.

It had been one month since the young goddess had arrived to Sanctuary. To her surprise, it was not that bad a place after all, though there were still some things she needed to get used to. For example, there were still a few Saints that were almost strangers to her. That was no surprise, as not every Saint had appeared yet, and those who were already in Sanctuary often had missions who carried them into other lands. With most she was familiar now. Sasha was glad they had taken her in without great objections. But the only one who had always been there was Sisyphus.

Sasha smiled as she thought about the brown haired Sagittarius Saint. Of course, there was Sage, her Pope, always beside her in her throne room. But Sisyphus had been the first one she met. And despite him being the one taking her away from Tenma and Alone, he was the one she trusted the most. For he had always been there for her when she needed him. He was almost like a father for him. She felt that his love for her was very big.

Of course she liked most of the other Gold Saints too. The so knowledgeable Degel, the Aquarius Saint, or Kardia, behind whose rough facade hid a big heart. Or the always cheerful Dohko. The Capricorn Saint on the other hand, was frightening her. Sure, El Cid was just as loyal to her as Sisyphus. But he was so… cold. And Albafica, Gold Saint of Pisces. He was so distant from everyone. Sasha had still not found out why. But she would be going to change that. She decided to ask Sisyphus about it. With him, she could talk about everything and she could ask him whatever she wanted. Yes, that she will do.

She sighed. Since sleep would evade her for some time now, she felt like going for a little walk. The night was mild. And she would be able to se the stars.

Silently opening the door, she glanced out into the hallway. No guards around. Very good. That meant she only had to watch for the Gold Saint on duty. Either there were tons of guards watching the hallways leading to her chamber, or a Gold Saint. And tonight the latter seemed to be the case.

On tiptoes she sneaked through the now familiar hallways. Sasha knew exactly which ones would take her outside.

To freedom.

As much as Sasha had gotten used to her role as Athena, she sometimes still longed for the sunshine outside. Those times, she badly wanted to jump up, leave the temple and run around outside. But Sage had made it clear to her that as a goddess, she had to fulfill her duties and follow a certain etiquette.

Finally, she saw a bright spot some distance away. The exit.

Silver moonlight engulfed her when she stepped outside. Ah, how beautiful the moon was. Sasha closed her eyes and inhaled deeply the mild air. Despite not being cool, it refreshed her. Then she discovered the figure sitting on the stairs.

Wings.

It had to be Sisyphus. So it was his turn keeping guard tonight. But why did he sit there, head lowered? What was bugging him? Since they arrived in Sanctuary, Sasha had felt something change inside the Sagittarius Saint. She didn't know what. Only, that he was bugged by something. But what? Was he sad? His lowered head seemed to be proof of that.

„Athena-sama. You shouldn't be outside at this hour." The voice behind her made her jump, and only with great effort she kept back a scream. She turned.

„S… Sage?"

„Yes, Lady Athena." The Pope knelt down before her. „I have been watching the stars, as I do every night. I shall teach you that soon enough. But, may I ask what brings you outside in the midst of the night? You should be asleep."

„Yes… but that's exactly what I couldn't do. I had a nightmare. So I thought I'd get some fresh air."

„I see…" Sage glanced down at the winged figure of Sisyphus. „But, since you are here, got to him. You are our goddess. You need to be a guide for us Saints and lift our spirits when we should happen to be down. That are you duties as Athena. Go to him, Lady Athena. He needs you. After all, he's keeping guard so nothing will harm you."

„Y… Yes."

Hesitantly, Sasha started to descend the stairs. She could feel Sage's eyes on her back.

„Sir… Sir Sisyphus?"

He startled and looked up. A smile appeared on his face.

„Lady Athena", he said gently. „What brings me the honor of your company at such an hour? You should be in bed."

„I know, but… I couldn't sleep. I had a nightmare and woke up."

„Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. But it was only a nightmare, and it's over now. You're safe."

„Um… Sir Sisyphus?" When he looked at her questioningly, Sasha continued. „Um… would you mind to call me Sasha? Here in Sanctuary everyone calls me Lady Athena… but I miss hearing my old name…"

The Sagittarius Saint gave her a surprised look. Then he smiled. „But of course Lady… I mean, Sasha. Though, I'll do it only if you call me Sisyphus."

Sasha smiled back. „But of course."

„Well then. So you can't sleep?"

The girl lowered her head. „No… That's why I am here. I wanted to go outside. To get some fresh air. Look at the moon. Isn't it wonderful tonight?"

„It is, Sasha."

She stood a while next to Sisyphus, and the two gazed at the nightly, moonlit landscape, enjoying each other's company. Then, Sasha pulled together all her courage.

„Um… Sisyphus?"

„Yes?"

„I… have a question."

„You can ask me anything you want, Sasha. You know that."

„Yes but…" She paused. „Is everything allright with you, Sisyphus? Something changed inside you when we returned here. I felt that."

The Sagittarius stared at her in utter bewilderment. Then he broke into a reassuring smile.

„Do not worry about me, Sasha", he said. „Everything is okay." He stretched out his hand and gently stroke her hair. The girl closed its eyes, savouring the warmth of the big hand. When he finished, she crawled into his lap. They watched the silent night, until Sasha fell soundly asleep.

The next morning, Sasha woke up in her room.

Sisyphus must have brought her in here. She yawned. Then she stood up and tried to walk the sleepyness away. A few minutes passed, then maidens with fresh clothing fort he day appeared and helped her dress. When she was ready, the little Athena took seat on her throne in the audience hall. With her were Sage, Shion, El Cid and Sisyphus.

„Sage", she said. „Please give me a report on the momentary status of our Saints."

„Yes, Lady Athena." The Pope's mouth, the only thing visible beneath his helmet, was smiling. He seemed to be glad Sasha adopted her new role so quickly. „We have three Bronce Saints here, training, and some Bronce trainees. Then we have eight Silver Saints and trainees for the remaining Cloths. The Aquila and Cerberus Saints are having trainees under their wings. The Whale, Canis Major, Canis Menor and Sagitta Saint are currently out of Sanctuary on missions. They might return within a week. The Lyra and Capella Saints are here in Sanctuary. Of the Gold Saints, only Sisyphus, El Cid and Shion are currently present. The others had been sent away with missions. They too should be back before one week is over."

„I see…" A wave of lonelyness washed over Sasha. Sanctuary seemed so… empty, at the moment. She wished everyone would return right now. Then she got a hold of herself and continued. „Well done, Sage. We may only have three Gold Saints present right now. But, I trust you." She smiled. „You are the strongest humans I have ever met. I just hope everyone will return safely…"

The Saints kept silent. Yet Sasha could tell they were moved. But why? They were her Saints. If she couldn't trust them, then who should she trust? And it was true what she had said about the Gold Saints being the strongest men she had ever met. When she had seen two Gold Saints sparring – it was Dohko and Manigoldo – she was awed by the sheer power the two combattants emitted.

„You can go now", she finished the meeting. „El Cid, Shion… be on guard. But please, try to relax. You earned a break. I don't want my Saints to suffer unnessecarily because of me."

„Yes, Lady Athena." The Capricorn and the Aries Saint bowed.

„Sisyphus… please, remain here with Sage."

„Yes, Lady Athena."

Shion and El Cid left the room. The remaining three looked at the door for a moment. Then Sage broke the silence.

„Mylady." He bowed. „Please, excuse me for some time. I have to check on how certain things go. But I will be back soon."

„Do that, Sage. I leave it to your capable hands."

„Thank you." The Pope bowed before taking another exit from the room.

So Sasha was now alone with Sisyphus. The Sagittarius Saint stood at her right side, keeping watch for something that might hopefully never come. Then she remembered the question she had wanted to ask him.

„Um… Sisyphus?"

„Sasha?"

Happiness filled her when she heard him use her old name.

„I am wondering…", she continued. „Albafica. He's so distant from everyone. I tried to figure out why that is so, but I have found no answer. Can you tell me why he keeps away from everyone else?"

Sisyphus' silence immediately after the question told Sasha that the topic was everything but nice. She waited, getting more and more curious about the answer.

„Albafica…", Sisyphus finally spoke up. „You know that he is the Pisces Saint." Sasha nodded. „And you know that he uses poisonous roses as his weapon." Another nod. The Sagittarius once more paused. „Very well, then", he said. „I will only show you. That will not hurt. Besides, you should know the people that protect you almost as well as yourself. Come with me."

„Where to?"

„To Pisces."

Holding Sisyphus' hand, Sasha descended the stairs from her temple to the Pisces Temple. Luckily, it was the last temple before hers. Having to walk all stairs down and up again would have taken much time.

The Sagittarius Saint guided her through the hallways of Pisces, until they reached a door. „Have a good look at this", he said. „But be careful." Then, he opened it.

Immediately in front of the door was a small space of stone floor, like the one of the stairs. But behind it were countless…

„Roses", the young goddess whispered. „Thousands of roses."

„Roses", Sisyphus affirmed. „Can you smell it?"

Sasha sniffed through her nose, and the smell reached her immediately. „What's… what's this?"

„Poison. Come now. We should not stay here too long."

They went inside, and the Gold Saint closed the door. On their way back up the stairs, he explained to her what she just had seen.

„Albafica is the Pisces Saint", Sisyphus repeated. „The weapon of the Pisces Saints were always roses. They can use three different roses: For one, there ist he black one, the Piranha Rose. It destroys everything it touches. The white rose is the Bloody Rose. If it hits your heart – and trust me, it always does – your days are over. And lastly, there is the red Royal Demon Rose. It attacks physically, but uses also it's poisonous scent. But they have one thing in common: They are poisonous."

„All… three of them?"

„Yes. And it's this garden we have just seen where Albafica gets his roses."

„An entire garden full of poisonous roses…", Sasha whispered. „What a dangerous place."

„Indeed", Sisyphus agreed. „No single being can survive in there. None… except for the Pisces Saint."

„What?!"

The Sagittarius nodded. „Yes. Now, how do you think Albafica is able to enter this garden of poison?"

Sasha thought for a secon. There was only one reason that came to her mind… „You think… you think he's immune?"

„Correct. Albafica lived among those roses since he was a baby. Sage told me, that the previous Pisces Saint, Lugonis, found him as a newborn in the midst of the Pisces garden. But, that only made him immune. Something happened, which pushed him beyond just being immune to the poison…"

„What?"

Sisyphus looked up at the sky. Then he answered: „Sage may go through this with you someday. But I'll tell you now… If the Pisces Saint wants to install a successor, master and pupil do a ritual which usually ends with the death of one of the two."

„No way!", Sasha cried out. „One of them dies? But..."

„It's the way it is", the Gold Saint interrupted, a strange hardness in his voice. „I wished we could stop it, but it's not possible. You see, both puncture their index finger with a rose thorn and mix their blood. Only the one with the more poisonous blood will survive."

„Poisonous… blood?", Sasha whispered horrified. „But then… Albafica… he…"

„Yes. His blood is poisonous."

„Then… then he keeps away from everyone to not harm them?"

Sisyphus nodded. „It's a curse that lies on the Saints of Pisces", he said in a low voice. „The curse of loneliness."

Tears swam in Sasha's eyes. „Poor Albafica… not being able to touch anyone…"

The two of them continued the ascend in silence. Sisyphus wanted to give Sasha time tot hink about what she just had heard. Before they entered he temple, she stopped and turned to him.

„Sisyphus… may I ask a favor of you?"

„Whatever you want, my goddess."

„Please… when Albafica comes back… will you look after him? Will you try to make him feel not so lonely anymore?"

The Sagittarius looked at her thoughtfully. Then he gave a short nod. „If you wish, I shall do that, Lady Athena… Sasha."

With that, they returned to the throne room.

That evening, Sasha couldn't fall sleep in the first place. She lay on her bed, turning from one side to the other.

Sanctuary defintively felt too lonely at the moment. She needed company.

Silently she stood up. The night was still young, so Sage would still be on Star Hill, reading the stars. If he only managed to pass through Capricorn undetected and avoid Shion, who's turn to keep watch was tonight, everything was okay.

She hurried down the moonlit stairs. Very good, Shion seemed to have gone on a short patrol. Now through Pisces and Aquarius. Finally, she saw beneath her the temple of Capricorn appearing in the dark.

Sasha slowed down. She needed to be very silent now, or else she'd alarm Cid.

Inside the temple, the main hallways were lit by torches. The girl easily found ist way through the temple. In front of her, the exit – or entrance, however one may put it – appeared. She let out a sigh of relief and hurried towards it –

„What brings you to my temple at such a late hour, Lady Athena?"

Out oft he nowhere, El Cid stood in front of her, imposing with his white cape. Sasha barely skidded to a halt in time before she would have crashed into it.

„El Cid…" She looked up to the Capricorn Saint. His ice cold blue eyes gazed down on her. They frightened her more than ever. „I… I am just passing through. Do you want to stand in the way when your goddess is walking through?"

Sasha was surprised about her own courage. Never had anyone dared talk to El Cid like this. He was just too intimidating. The only one who might have done so was one of the other Gold Saints, especially Sisyphus. But there had never been need to. If Sasha didn't know that deep within El Cid carried a heart of gold, she probably might have run back the way she came. But she managed to withstand.

„I hope you do not intend to leave Sanctuary", the Gold Saint of Capricorn stated. I was a question.

„No, of course not", Sasha said hastily. „I merely want to… visit someone."

The hard eyes continued gazing down on her. She felt more and more uncomfortable by the minute. Finally El Cid said: „Very well. I believe you. I wish you a very good night, my goddess." He bowed and disappeared back into the shadows.

Relief broke its way out in a heavy sigh. The young goddess was still not used to dealing with the Capricornian. He was way too frightening. And he was considerable older than her, who was still but a little girl. Yet… his loyalty and reliability had managed to stir a feeling of trust towards El Cid.

She ran out of the tenth temple and down the stairs towards her goal – Sagittarius. It was one of her favourite temples in Sanctuary, along with Aquarius, Libra and Virgo. Not only was it beautiful. Sisyphus had also the second-largest library in Sanctuary, after Camus. The only library able to compare was Gemini; a fact Aspros hardly could get over. Sasha smiled as she remembered the quarrel between the two Gold Saints.

On tiptoes she walked through the temple's hallways. She had been to Sagittarius before, but never to Sisyphus' bedroom. Thus she relied on her freshly awakened Cosmo to track the Saint down. Finally, she stood in front of a big, wooden door. It was heavy, but she managed to open it without a sound. Once more she was surprised by herself.

Moonlight shone in from the window. It was not strong, because the moon stood on the opposite side of the temple. But it was enough to recognise objects and humans. The goddess took in what she saw. A big cupboard, a bedside table with a bowl on it, a bookshelf, a wooden desk with its corresponding chair and a big, also wooden bed which carried engravements. The Sagittarius Saint lay there, the blanket covering him up to the chest. It rose and sank to the rythm of his breathing, steadily, as it was the breathing of a sleeping human. His bare shoulders and arms seemed silver because of the moonlight.

With utmost care she approached the bed. Sasha was already sorry for the shock Sisyphus was gonna have the next morning when he found his goddess at his side in his bed. But she was sure he would understand why she had done it. After she looked at his face for a brief moment, she climbed up, trying not to move the matrice too much. Finally she sat next to him. Now, beneath the blanket. That would be the most difficult task.

„Sasha."

Her heart skipped a beat and she almost fell out of the bed. When she looked at Sisyphus, she saw his open eyes glimmering in the gloom of night.

„S… Sisyphus! You're… awake."

„Yes."

The Saint sat upright and examined the girl. „Why are you here? Don't tell me you had a nightmare again…"

„No", Sasha replied. „Tonight, I couldn't sleep at all."

„Hm…"

Sasha felt guilty. She lowered her face, guilt all over it. „Please… let me stay here… Sanctuary feels so lonely when everyone is gone."

„Alright, alright. You can stay. And no need to inform Shion. Your temple needs still to be guarded."

„Thank you!"

She felt relieved. Sisyphus wasn't mad at her; plus, he was going to let her stay instead of sending her back to her temple. Her relief was so big she couldn't help but hug him tightly.

„Aaagh! Sa… Sasha! I can't breath!"

They laughed, for the Gold Saint was able to endure much more, as they both knew. Sisyphus lay back down, and Sasha crawled beneath the blanket. She felt how he lay an arm around her, and she felt the protectiveness of the gesture. His entire body was warm, just like the hand that had guided her to this point. She couldn't help but cuddle herself against the Sagittarius' body. He stroke her hair.

And under this warm, strong hand, the little Athena fell asleep.


End file.
